Self-winding clock.



Patented July 8, I902.

C. HURST.

SELF WINDING CLOCK. (Application filed Mar. 27. 1902.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES HURST, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

SELF-WINDING CLOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 704,333, dated July 8,1902.

Application filed March 27, 1902. Serial No. 100,229. (No model.)

To (tZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES HURST, acitizen of the United States,residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certainImprovements in Pneumatic Self-finding Clocks, of which the following isa specification.

My invention relates to certain improvements in clocks, and moreparticularly to an improved mechanism for automatically winding a clockto any desired degree whenever it has run down.

The object of my invention is to provide a device operated by a currentof air for winding up the spring of a clock, the same includingmechanism for automatically stopping the flow of said air when thespring has been wound to a certain point and which will again permit theflow of air to operate said mechanism when the spring has unwound by theoperation of the clock to a predetermined point. This object I attain ashereinafter set forth, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,in which Figure lisasectional elevation of the mechanism included in thepreferred form of my improved device. Fig. 2 is a plan view of themechanism shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a series of detached perspectiveviews illustrating the detail construction of a portion of my improveddevice.

In the above drawings, A represents a clock of any desired style havingits main driving spindle or shaft a extended outside of the clock-casingand directly connected in the present instance to the spring-barrel E.

' Bis a conduit or casing, preferably connected through the portion toto a chimneyflue or other pipe in which there is a draft and havingsupported upon it a framework C for the gearing, hereinafter described.

Journaled both in the clock-casing and in the framework 0 is a spindle dupon which is loosely carried the spring-barrel E, containing theinainspring 6. One end of this spring is fixed to the spindle a and theother end to the barrel E, causing as it unwinds the revolution of thislatter and the attached clock mechanism in the well-known manner.

The mechanism for revolving the spindle a and thus winding the spring 8,consists of a fan F, supported transversely within the fan casing orconduit B and operatively connected to said spindle by a train ofgearing. This includes a gear-wheel a on the spindle a connected throughalternate pinions and gear-wheels upon spindles c c 0 0 support ed onthe framework 0, to a pinion f, fixed to the fan-shaft f, this latterbeingjournaled in two bars or pieces f extending across the fan-casingB.

In order that the fan F may notoperate continuously but will be stoppedwhen the clockspring (2 has been wound to a certain point, I provide avalve G in the fan-casing B, this latter being constructed with anextended portion 1), made so as to form a seat for said valve. By meansof a rod or bar 9, pivotally carried on two standards g, I suspend thevalve within the casing B, there being a slot in the top thereof for thepassage of said rod.

The valve G is normally kept away from its seat or in its open positionby means of a spring g fastened to any suitable projecting portion 9from the fan-casing.

For moving the valve to or from its seat, and thereby stopping orstarting the fan, I connect it to the mainspring e in such a manner thatwhen said spring has uncoiled to a certain extentin operating the clockthe valve is opened, being afterward shut when the spring has beenrewound. The preferred arran gement of connecting mechanism betweenthese two parts consists of a pin e, carried by a bar 6 and projectinglaterally between the convolutions of the spring 6 at a point near itsouter end, which is attached to the barrel E. This pin is in permanentengagement with the bar 6 which operates in a guide 6 supported on thebarrel E, so that as the spring varies its position in unwinding the'pin, and consequently the bar e are moved upward. Also carried by thebarrel is a second guide e, having a bar 6 movable at right angles tothe bar e and operatively connected to it through a lever c. This ispivoted to a projection from the spring-barrel E, having one endconstantly held in engagement with the lower end of the bar e by meansof a spring e A disk J is loosely carried on the spindle a and isnormally in engagement with a roller 8 carried on the adjacent end ofthe bar 6 This disk forms one end of a frame, the other members of whichconsist of two side bars j, passing through and supported by the platesof the framework 0 and joined by an end barj, to whose center is pivoteda lever j carried by the fan-casing B. To the upper end of this lever ispivoted one end of a connecting-rod 9' of which the second end isattached to the suspending-bar g of the valve G. a

In use my improved device is usually placed on a mantelpiece orothersupport and the end a of the fan-casing connected to the interiorof the fiue or chimney, which almost invariably passes through the wallimmediately behind the said mantel. Assuming that the spring e of theclock is unwound and that the valve G is held in its open position bythe spring g, the draft in the flue connected to the fan-casing draws acurrent of air into the latter and turns the fan, with its spindle andthe pinion f, through the train of gearing. This action turns thespindle a and winds up the clockspring, thus drawing inwardly the pin 6.\Vhen this winding has continued to a predetermined extent, the bar emoves the bar 6 outwardly through the lever 6 and since its roller 6bears upon the disk J this latter, with the side members of the frame towhich it is attached, will be moved away from the clock parallel to thespindle a Such action being transmitted to the connecting-rodj swingsthe valve-rod g on its pivot, thereby moving the valve G onto its seatand preventing further flow of the air or other motive fluid through thefan-casing. The fan thus stopped remains idle until by the operation ofthe clock spring 6 moves outward in its barrel, so as to permit the bar6 to be moved toward the clock under the influence of the spring g,transmitted through the valve-rod j the side members j, and the disk J.Such action unseats the valve Gr, again permitting the fan to revolveand wind up the spring 6 under the influence of the current of airflowing through the fan-casing.

It will be noted that the spring-barrel E, together with the bar e andthe mechanism connecting this latter to the spring e, revolve as a unitaround the spindle a as the clock operates upon the disk J when thespring has unwound far enough to cause it to actuate the valve G.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination of a clock, a fluid-motorhaving means connecting it to the operating mechanism of said clock,together with means for governing the supply of motive fluid to the fanactuated by said motor through the operating mechanism of the clock,substantially as described.

2. The combination of a clock, a fan connected to the driving mechanismthereof, a Valve controlling the flow of fluid to said fan,

said valve being operated by the motor through the driving mechanism ofthe clock, substantially as described.

3. The combination of a clock having a mainspring,afan havinggearingconnectingit to the same, a valve governing the flow of fluid tosaid fan and mechanism between the valve and the spring whereby changesin the position of the spring varies the position of the valve,substantially as described.

4. The combination of a clock having a mainspring with a spindle, a fangeared to said spindle for winding the spring, a valve controlling theflow of fluid through the fan, a device primarily operated by the fanand revoluble with one end of said spring, together with mechanism foroperating the valve, the same being in engagement with said device,substantially as described.

6. The combination of a clock having a spring, a spring-barrel and aspindle connected respectively to the ends of said spring, a fan havinggearing operatively connected to the spindle, a piece revoluble with thegear-wheel, having means connecting it to a movable portion of thespring, a valve controlling the supply of fluid to the fan, means formovably suspending the said valve, and a framework connected to thesuspending means of the valve, the same being in operative engagementwith the piece moved by the spring, substantially as described.

7. The combination of a clock having a spring, a gear-wheel and aspindle connected respectively to the ends thereof, a fan-casing, a fanand a valve therein, gearing connecting the spring-spindle and the fan,means for normally retaining the valve in an open position, levers foroperating the valve, a plate connected to said levers, and a devicehaving means connecting it with the spring constructed to act on saidplate whereby variations in the position of a portion of said springmove the plate and through said levers operate the valve, substantiallyas described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES HURST.

Witnesses:

S. E. PATTERSON, WILLIAM E. BRADLEY.

IICI

